*THE EARLY CHURCH

Faulkner Facts & Findings
Vol IX No 4 1967
Freddie Raymond Pike
In The Beginning
1892 - 1939
The Cadron Ridge Baptist Church is located three miles north of Conway, Arkansas, on U. S. Highway 64, In Faulkner County. The Church now owns twelve and one-half acres of land, church building and parsonage.

The church was organized in 1892 and was located north of the Missouri Pacific tracks about one-half mime northwest of the present church. The building, which has been completely destroyed, was a log structure of one room. The only evidence that a church ever stood on the spot is a few large rocks that were used either for steps or as foundation stones. The church was located near a free flowing stream which provided cool drinking water for the members on hot summer days. The first pastor of the church was J. O. Cantrell who pastored the church for six consecutive years. Among the first families in the church were the Stones, Padgetts, Evans, Greens and Kuykendalls. It was reported that "they believed in a clean church life." Durning the first twenty-two years the church excluded eighteen members, mostly for drinking, dancing, or card playing.

In 1895 the congregation relocated the church at its present site. The one-room frame building was built along side the old railroad bed; (now U. S. 64) which provided a good road to the church. The first few years of the church seem to have been growing years. The church membership was seventeen in 1892 and forty-one in 1895. This represents an increase of about 250 percent. The records of the church prior to 1945 have been destroyed so not much is known about the church durning this time. From 1896 to 1906 there seems to have been a decline in membership. In 1906 the membership was only one-half of the number in 1895.

In the first three years the church baptized over thirty persons but in the next ten years they baptized only six. In 1907, J. A. Cyre came to the church as pastor and that year baptized nineteen people. Cyre was a strong missionary preacher and "full of fire." His strong evangelistic preaching influenced many people to become Christians and join the church. During the early years the church and preaching services only once a month but had Sunday School almost every Sunday. It was durning the early part of the 1900's that the people of the community and others from the Pleasant Grove community would meet together and hold Sunday School in the Cadron Ridge School House.

The school was located on top of the ridge between the two communities. One of the people largely responsible for establishing a Sunday School at the church was Mrs. Mary Green. Through the efforts of this lady the Sunday School grew and became an established part of the church activities. Mrs. Green was a Bible student and a student of prayer throughout her life. She came to Arkansas and the community in 1881 and her family was one of the first families in the church. For many years she was largely responsible for keeping the church active and without her efforts the church would not have been the place of inspiration and religious training that it was. The Sunday School was so dependent on her presence that when she did not attend, Sunday School was often dismissed. One small boy expressed the prevailing attitude when upon arriving for church one Sunday morning, he asked his mother if the could go back home. His mother replied, "What's your hurry?" The boy said, "We ain't gonna have no Sunday School, Aunt Mary ain't here."

Some of the early traditions and customs of the church are interesting to note. The women and girls always sat on the left side of the church and the men and boys always sat on the right. The women usually brought a pallet for the younger children to sleep on during the service and the older children always had to sit with their parents or on the front pew. The church had what is called the "amen corner." The "amen corner" was two or three benches, usually to the right of the pulpit, where the deacons and older members sat and shouted "amen" when the preacher said something they agreed with or thought was particularly true. It is said that one of the deacons always chewed his "Star Navy" during the preaching service and one could always find tobacco stains on the wall close to where he sat. Each family had its own hitching place for their tean and wagon and no one got some other family's place.

Elias Kuykendall was the song leader for many years. Before the church had hymn books, he would lead the old favorite hymns from memory. The first musical instrument the church owned was a pump organ which the used for several years. The church supported itself by everything from pie suppers to planting cotton crops. At the pie suppers the girls brought the pies and the boys were told to bring plenty of money. The money was then put into the church treasury. The church planted cotton crops several times to raise money for expenses. In 1935 the church paid for a piano this way. The participated in a program called "God's Acre Plan" where the money received from the sale of cotton was given to mission work. They then picked over the cotton and got enough to pay for a piano.

Also from context;
On Sunday, December 22, 1946, the church voted to build a new church building in 1947, however, the building was not completed until 1950. On Sunday, May 11, 1947, a committee consisting of the deacons, pastor, Dr J. S. Rogers, Mrs. Malcolm Brown, and Mrs. Malitta Stone was selected to visit different churches and bring plans for the new building to the church for approval. This was one of the three committees that the church elected for this purpose during the year. In June of that year the church voted to have Mr. Malcolm Brown get plans for the new building with and without basements so the could decide which they liked best. Then again on September 24, 1947, another committee was elected for the purpose of drawing plans for the new building. This committee was Malcolm Brown, Dr. Rogers, John King, Sam Shuemake, Clem Stone, Ellis Kersy, Emil Pike, Glover Hensley, and Grady Sellers.
Sunday, October 27, 1947, an all day rally for the purpose of raising a building fund of $2,000 was held at the church. Dr. Rogers released the following information to the Log Cabin Democrate: "There will be strong visiting speakers and dinner on the ground, served free to all. The program will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. It will be an inspiring ennobling program with great singing. The purpose of the meeting is to raise $2,000 or as much as possible on a new church building--a worthy building. Friends and visitors are invited to attend and help us. A new day has come to this church. Teachers College and Hendrix College students often attend."

The rally resulted in cash gifts of $1,195.50 and pledges for $224.50 which were due November 1, 1947. These gifts brought the building fund above $3,000. It was reported at this time that the building would be of the basement type with a 46' by 46' auditorium with seven classrooms. Other rooms, kitchen, and dinning room would be in the basement. The church later decided not to build this type of building.

While making plans for the building, the church discovered there was some dispute about the deed to the property. In acquiring a clear deed to the land the church had to go throught a long legal battle. On October 29, 1912, John Stone and his wife deeded a plot of land to the church for use as a cemetery and as a place of worship. On September 9, 1935, three deacons of the church, deeded the land to an individual for $1.00. It was this latter deed that the church voted to set aside on January 24, 1948. On May 24, 1948, a complaint was filed in circuit court by Dr. Rogers, Emil O. Pike and M. S. Brown on behalf of the church. the complaint stated that the deed filed October 29, 1912 in Book 38, page 80, by John Stone was still valid because all conditions of the deed--using the land for cemetery purposes and as a place of worship--had been fulfilled. The complaint denied that the three deacons had the authority to transfer the property and asked that this deed be set aside and declared null. The answer of the trustee for heirs of John M. Stone, deceased, was as follows: He denied that the Plaintiffs were the legal trustees of the church, that hey had authority from the church, and that they had the authority to wpend the money of the church for prosecuting the suit. He denied that the deed dated Oct 29, 1912, was intended for the exclusive use and benefit of the church, but for use and benefit as a public place of worship and cemetery. He stated that the three deacons did have the authority of the church to transact the deed and that the use of the property had been permissive and not exclusive. He asked that the complaint be dismissed and that his cost be paid.
Chancery Judge, J. B. Ward handed down his decision on October 9, 1948 and stated that after being advised to all the facts his decision was that the deed dated September 9, 1935, was to be set aside and declared null and void. The title to the land was given to the plaintiffs and their successors in office. The original deed was amended to state that J. C. Stone was appointed trustee of the cemetery with the authority to say where bodies could be buried but not the authority to reject or refuse anyone to be buried in the cemetery. In case of a dispute the trustees of the church would have the right to decide. He also stated that each party must pay his own cost.

Present contact person;
Steve Mahar - csmahar@yahoo.com
501 327 3249 - home

Contributed on 4/17/15 by hawkinsdonna
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Record #: 1069965

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